Some thoughts on training

So you just got the latest and greatest software, now what. Obviously, you need to know how to use it. While you can dig through the manuals, and try to figure it out on your own, you would probably benefit much more from hands on training.

There are many advantages to taking a training course:

Being in a dedicated training environment, you are not distracted by the many interruptions in your day.

No stopping and starting, and trying to remember where you were.

You can concentrate on learning your new software, and finding out how it can be used to best suit your needs.

Which of the myriad of setup options best suits your needs?

In a training class you can ask questions from an experienced person.

You can also find out what the implications are of choosing any particular settings, and why one is better than another for your particular needs.

Your questions can be answered while they are still fresh in your mind.

No need to write them down, and then try to remember what the circumstances were that brought on the question in the first place.

Ideally, your training course will be geared to your specific needs. In that case, you will be able to go through all of the setup steps, discussing the options and how they pertain to your needs. You will be able to ask questions, and discuss the options, to be able to choose the ideal setup. Going forward, you will be able to go through the type of processing that you do on a daily basis, to see just how those tasks would be carried out in your live environment.

In short, half a day, or a day, spent in such targeted training, will yield much greater results than spending a day trying to figure it out on your own.